For the guys!

Do you find it hard to make a card for the guys? I sometimes do! This stamp set, (Countryside) is perfect for a guy card and I had so much fun making it. My goal this year is to practice my watercolouring...kind of a fun goal! 

I stamped the image in Basic Brown on Watercolour paper, then painted using my Close to Cocoa (can't seem to give that colour up!) and my aqua painter. I made the clouds by sponging a punched out piece of the scalloped circle, sponging on the circle then out to the watercolour paper, moving the scallop to different angle to create the clouds.

I sponged the edges of both layers with Basic Brown and then layered the Kraft on Kraft and ran it through the lattice embossing folder.  Then I mounted the finished watercolour piece on and adhered it to the small Kraft base and then both layers to the card base. 

I used a scrap of watercolour paper for the greeting that comes from the newly retired SAB set 'So Happy for you'. 

Hope you like my watercolouring....I had so much fun making it!  Thanks for stopping by and sharing your time with me!

Hugs ~ Judy

Hello Peeps!

It's been so long since I blogged...I've missed you and hope you've missed me a tiny bit too!! I've been busy having classes and sneaking in a wonderful little getaway to Victoria with my family! So much fun!

We had beautiful weather while we were there, we did lots of shopping, including stopping at all of my fave spots, the Fairmont Empress store, Murchies Tea Store, Rogers Chocolates, the Irish Linen store and of course a stroll through Fan Tan Alley in Chinatown...we came home with lots of shopping bags and lots of pictures.

I have a little share for you today...here's a cute little watering can I made. I found the template on Splitcoastampers...isn't it sweet? I printed it out on Pretty in Pink cardstock and stamped the Baroque Motif swirl on the sides in Close to Cocoa and added some white dots with my Gel Pen. (You can click on the picture for a closer look) The flowers are made with White Tissue Paper using the Island Floral Die and the leaves are handcut.

I hope you like my little watering can....it's time to get out the real thing and get ready for spring! We actually had snow here the day before yesterday, it didn't last, I thought it was going to when the snow plough drove up my street (!) but thankfully it went away just as suddenly as it came. My daffodils and I are extremely happy about that! LOL!!

I really love Spring, there is such excitement in the air, waiting and watching for all the little buds to blossom out in all their beauty. Waiting for the first little crocuses and daffodils to poke their little heads out of the ground. My tulips are starting to come up in my front garden, much to the delight of the neighbourhood deer....the little darlings have munched the tops all off!

My favourite season is Fall, but my second favourite is Spring....with all it's anticipation of warm days and blooming cherry trees, it always feels like the city is getting ready for a big wedding, the streets are all lined in pink trees and after the blossoms are finished the petals dance through the air like pink confetti...beautiful and so very pretty! I love where I live!!

Wishing you lovely days too....thanks so much for stopping by to share your time with me!

Hugs ~ Judy

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Hi everyone....I hope you're having a wonderful day wherever you are!  St. Patrick's Day has always been a special day for our family....who doesn't have a little Irish in them, especially on St. Paddy's Day!

We always had a huge party on St. Patrick's, my uncle was Irish and oh how he loved to celebrate for the occasion.  We would all get together, the Irish music would be blasting, the drinks flowed freely, even for the kiddies (non alcohol ones for the wee ones, watered down for the middle ones, and straight up and strong for the adults! 

We would dance and sing and keep an eye out for the leprechauns...everyone knows they can't help but come out when the music and drinks are flowing!

This is an ATC (Artist Trading Card) I made, the sticker on it has the same symbol as the ring my husband bought for me years ago.  The symbols on my Claddagh ring stand for Love, Loyalty and Friendship....so pretty!

 

May you always have

Walls for the winds,

A roof for the rain,

Tea beside the fire,

Laughter to cheer you,

Those you love near you,

And all your heart might desire!

Have a wonderful day, full of laughter and love and watch out for the wee folk!  If you manage to catch one, remember that you'll get 3 wishes and no more from them....they are very tricky when caught!

Thanks for stopping by to share my memories!

Hugs ~ Judy

Crepe Paper Tags

Brown paper packages tied up with ribbon...what could be better?

I love to wrap up my orders, I think it's so much fun to be able to unwrap a pretty bag of goodies...this is what my last months orders look like! 

The tag was so much fun to make, I used Early Espresso 4" x 2 1/4" and layered it with Very Vanilla 3 3/4" x 2",  this makes a perfect sized tag. 

I inked up the Music Notes wheel with Close to Cocoa and wheeled it on the Very Vanilla...I just can't give this colour up!  LOL!!  Then I added a little strip, the sentiment is from the Short and Sweet Stamp set, I curled it with my fingers and inked the edges.  Then I dovetailed one side with my scissors, adhered it with a glue dot and added a pink button from my stash.

 

The edging on the side is made with pink Crepe paper from the Dollar store.  I put sticky strip down on the back and gathered it up while sticking it down... isn't it pretty?  This is a great way to add a bit of softness but not bulk.  To finish it I added some ribbon to tie it to the bag.

I love it...hope you do too!

Thanks for stopping by!

Judy



Chocolate Bookmark Card

Today's share is a fun little card...and... it has a bookmark attached to it! I think it's the perfect pairing, chocolate to go along with a  good book to read.  I used the new set called Eat Chocolate that's in the Occasions Mini catalogue...such a cute stamp set for chocoholics like me {g}.  

The measurements for this card are 10 1/2" x 5 1/2" and I scored it at 4 1/4" and 8 1/2".  Then I ran the serated tool down the 8 1/2" score mark using my SU distressing tool, so that it easily pulls away from the card.  The chocolate on the front is stamped in chocolate chip ink and then I covered it with Crystal Effects.

The inside has a white layer, although it's hard to see in the picture.  When you tear the bookmark off you have a regular sized card...perfect for the book lovers in your life!

Thanks for stopping by, hope you're having a wonderful weekend!

Judy

2 More Stylish Blogger Awards.....for me!

Wow...I'm thrilled, excited and so honoured to recieve 2 awards...the first one is from my upline Alison and the second one is from Vanessa.  Thanks so much for the great award ladies!!

So, according to the rules of accepting the award, I thank the senders for the award and provide a link to their blogs, so please check out their blog links! (see above)

Secondly, I'm supposed to share 8 things about me that you don't know...ohmigosh...are you ready for this?  LOL!!

1. I believe in Elves, Faeries and Leprechauns and I love to wish on the Moon and the Stars. I also think Santa and the Easter bunny are pretty special too!

2. I’ve been on an incredible journey of love with my Mom that spanned more than 14 years while she had Alzheimer’s. My Mom continued to teach me so many important things, even though she lost her ability to talk to me....I miss her so much.

3. I always take the white bitty thing out of my eggs when I crack them...so did my Mom...it’s a weird family thing! So all of my cookies, cakes, etc are bitty free!  Aren't you glad you know that?

4. I think I am the only person ever to have calluses on my earlobes! My sweet little LilyBean loves to suck my ears and wakes me up each day for an early morning snuggle. I know...totally crazy...lol! I thought she would grow out of it, but she just snuggles into my neck and sucks my ears...lol....she is so sweet...I love her to bits!!

5. I love to cook and bake, and love to create my own recipes. I always shorten the recipes when I write them out, so they don’t look so long and complicated....like when the recipe says to place in pan or the oven...well...hello...where else would you put it? LOL

6. I’ve lived in a Palliative Care cancer ward for 6 weeks with my wonderful Mother in law. Her worst fear was being alone and that was something I could fix. I learned a lot during that time about so many things.... I will always cherish the time we shared together....I miss her too...

7. One of my favourite days was spent on the beach at Parksville, BC, with my kids and my husband. It was raining like crazy and we borrowed umbrellas from the hotel desk. We played barefoot on the beach in the rain, splashing in the waves and had the beach all to ourselves! Love those kinds of days.

8. You don’t want to watch a scary movie with me! I jump and scream when I get scared and that scares everyone else! My husband will say ‘Don’t watch’....well...seriously... I have to peek and even though I know something’s going to happen, it scares me anyway!

The last requirement and the most fun, is that I get to pass the award to 8 blog friends whose work I admire and let them know I've nominated them for this award.  It is so hard to narrow it down to 8 blogs as I follow lots of blogs and they are all fantastic.

 Here are my 8 choices in no particular order. Please visit their blogs and check out their fabulous creativity and make sure to leave them some love!


1)  Sandi http://www.sandimaciver.com/
2)  Kathy http://stampingstill.blogspot.com/ 
3)  Teneale http://www.tenealewilliams.com.au/wp02
4)  Jenn http://www.anewinkonlife.com/a-new-ink-on-life  
5)  Lisa http://addinkandstamp.blogspot.com/
6)  Tiffany http://www.mycraftyworld.blogspot.com/
7)  Kim http://riverfrontstampin.com/  
8)  Lois: http://mystampinplace.blogspot.com/

Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing your time with me!  Big hugs ~ Judy

Vancouver Regionals

This past weekend I went to my very first Stampin'Up! Regionals and I had such a good time!  We got a free stamp set called 'Nature's Walk' in our package as well as some great Make and Take projects.  It was an amazing day, meeting new friends and getting to know each other better.  We had some fabulous demonstrations, learned lots of new things and had a chance to share swaps with each other. 

Here's a picture of my swaps...I got some really great swaps in return.  The technique I used on my cards is from Kathy in Australia....she came up with this technique that she calls Grid Technique.  I absolutely fell in love with it.  Check out her blog here where she has an easy tutorial on how to do this as well as some awesome cards!  Thanks so much for sharing Kathy!  Love, love, love it!!

Here's a close up of my swaps.  I used Marina Mist/Very Vanilla, Pear Pizzaz/Very Vanilla and Crumb Cake/Very Vanilla.

I hope you try out this fun technique!  It's so much fun and gives such a lovely soft vintagy look. Thanks for stopping by to share your time with me!

Judy